The Key to Happiness: Curiosity

The key to happiness is staying curious for your entire life.

The happiest and most interesting people are the ones who are constantly curious. Of course every one possesses a level of curiousness, but it’s the strength of this curiosity and how likely they are to act on it, that counts. Want to know more? (if the answer is no, then you’re about as curious as an overworked toilet attendant and you definitely need to read this..)

Three Reasons to Get More Curious…

YOU GET SMARTER

Being interested in new things actually leads to cognitive growth in the brain. Curious people are often intelligent people, as they create a dynamic environment of new experiences, hobbies and ideas. Take an active interest in the world around you, and you get smarter. It’s like fertilizer for your brain.

YOU HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS

Your friends who are the best listeners are the ones who are trying to fully understand your situation and how you feel – they are genuinely curious. This leads to stronger connections in friendships and romantic relationships. Curious people are better listeners and are also better conversationalists, as they have many interests and hobbies and are often well read – they make good dinner party guests!

YOU GET HAPPIER

Curiosity is linked to happiness as taking an interest in your daily surroundings can bring new meaning to everyday tasks. Simply finding out about the person who makes your daily coffee, the history of your office building, or how raindrops are formed, can enrich your day. With practice, we can learn to take an interest in even the most seemingly mundane experiences.

Curious people are rarely bored. They are interested in meeting new people, reading new information, and engaging in new experiences. And their brains are healthier for it.

Don’t let the proverbial cat turn you off – it wasn’t really just curiosity that killed that mangy feline, it was when curiousness turned into prying. In fact, the original version of this proverb stated that ‘care killed the cat’, which is much more fitting in this age of antibacterial-living and a commonly debilitating fear of failure.

So…the take-away message here is: subtract a little caution and add a little curiosity. Let’s forget what we were told as kids – talk to strangers, play with your food if it interests you, take the unshod path and ask questions…

Your brain might grow and you’ll probably get invited to more parties.